The castle, despite the late hour, was already bustling. Vampires from various clans and districts were arriving, summoned for the emergency conference. The speed of their arrival indicated the deep agitation running through our kind. We were given rooms in the east wing, a more secluded area, away from the noisy great hall where the leaders were already convening. The hallway was deserted, most of the castle staff either assisting the guests or preparing a feast for the busy vampires in the kitchens.
Just as I was about to head to my own room, a commotion erupted from the grand foyer. My senses, heightened by the day's events, picked up a surge of agitated vampire presences. Shouts, hushed but furious, echoed from the entrance. Christian, Jeremy, Marcus, and Ethan had already noticed it too, their faces tightening. We exchanged quick glances and moved swiftly towards the source of the disturbance.
And there he was. Philip. He stood in the center of the foyer, looking disheveled but defiant, surrounded by a ring of angry, snarling vampires. They weren't Council members, but lower-ranking security, their fangs bared, clearly ready to tear him apart. He was trespassing in the heart of our territory, a lone human amidst a den of agitated purebloods.
"Who is this human?" one of the guards growled, his hand already reaching for Philip. "How did he get in here?"
"He says he's looking for someone," another scoffed, pushing Philip roughly. "He claimed to be 'Annie's' friend."
My blood ran cold. Annie. He was here for Krista. My fists clenched at my sides. Philip caught my eye, a desperate plea in his gaze, but I gave him nothing. Not yet. This fool had barged into my home, seeking my mate.
"Stand down," Christian commanded, stepping forward, his voice firm with the authority of a Prince. The guards hesitated, recognizing his rank. "He's... an acquaintance." Christian shot me a look that silently asked for an explanation.
"What do you want here, Philip?" I asked, my voice low and dangerous, stepping closer. The guards recoiled, allowing me more space to confront him.
Philip's eyes, relieved to see a familiar face, flickered with desperation. "Kai. I heard... Maria told me about Krista. I need to see her. Is she here? Is she alright?" His gaze searched past me, clearly looking for her.
"She's fine. And you shouldn't be here," I retorted, the jealousy a bitter taste in my mouth. This was not the place for him. Not now. Not ever.
"I need to talk to her, Kai. It's important. Maria said..."
My jaw tightened. Maria had sent him. Of course she had. She was too trusting. "She's resting," I cut him off, my voice sharp. "You can't see her." The idea of him, Philip, barging into Krista's room, into her presence, ignited a fury I struggled to contain.
"It's about everything. The past. Anita," Philip insisted, his voice hushed but urgent, clearly aware of the pureblood ears listening.
That name. It hit me like a physical blow. Anita. The key to Krista's past. If he mentioned her... Krista needed to be here for this. This wasn't a conversation I could have alone, not without violating her trust. My anger flared, but beneath it, a sliver of logic told me I had to involve her. This was her memory, her trauma.
"Wait here," I commanded Philip, my voice still tight with warning, before turning to Krista's room. "Stay put, all of you," I told the guards and my friends, their curious gazes following me as I strode quickly down the silent east wing.
I reached her door and knocked. "We have an uninvited guest," I informed her quietly, my gaze sharp.
She nodded, her face grim, and we went down to the foyer. The others were already there, and in the center, surrounded by angry, defensive vampires, stood Philip.
"Annie, I've been looking everywhere for you. What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice laced with concern and confusion, seemingly oblivious to the hostile glares around him.
"Cut it out, Phil. I remember everything," Krista stated, her voice flat, devoid of the soft affection she usually used with him.
He stood frozen for a moment, his face paling. "You remember everything?" She nodded, her eyes sad. "Including Anita?"
A tear escaped Krista's eye and slid down her cheek. Of course, she remembered Anita, the person who had so selflessly sacrificed her life for them, her hero. "Yes. I remember her." She let the tears fall freely now; there was no point in holding them back. "And I don't hate you for lying to me," she told Philip, her words catching him by surprise. "You did it to keep us safe. Thank you."
He came nearer, pulling her into a tight embrace. "I'm just relieved you're alright. I lied about your past but my feelings were real."
"I know. And I am grateful, really. I love you too, just not the same way you feel about me." Her words, though gentle, were a clear rejection of a romantic future. I watched their embrace, a knot tightening in my stomach. The sight of them, her in his arms, stirred a fierce, ugly jealousy inside me, a primal possessiveness I rarely let surface.
His hug tightened for a moment. "Why? Why can't it be me?"
"I'm sorry, Phil," Krista whispered, then gently loosened his arms and faced him, stepping back. "We can't enjoy this reunion. There's something more important."
"I know. Maria told me when we met near the market. She was the one who told me you were here."
"I'm sorry for intruding in your conversation but there's just one thing." My voice was clipped, my patience worn thin by the sight of their exchange. And then, without another thought, I punched Philip in the face. It landed with a sickening thud.
Philip fell to the floor, coughing a little blood from his lip. Then, to my surprise, he chuckled, wiping his mouth. "I've missed you too, my friend," he said, half-joking, half-serious, to me. He then turned to Krista, his gaze shifting to the larger crisis. "So, how can I help?"